


The Winter of Our Youth

by OhNoMyBreadsticks



Series: Of Gods and their Humans [8]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Elder God, Established Relationship, Flash Forward, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, Immortality, M/M, Magic, Nuclear Winter, Slurs, no real descriptions of the apocalypse or nuclear war
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhNoMyBreadsticks/pseuds/OhNoMyBreadsticks
Summary: Winter maintains an icy grip on the world, but Gavin finds that there is still more than enough warmth in his life.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: Of Gods and their Humans [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1219730
Comments: 18
Kudos: 42





	The Winter of Our Youth

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know how to start this author's note, because there's a lot to say lol. This fic has been sitting in my vault for almost exactly 2 years (the google doc says 'Created Dec 14, 2018), which is when I officially decided on the story arc of this series! It's always been building to this point, to this future, and I finally decided that I wanted to share. This series has always been incredibly self-indulgent, so why should I stop myself now? XD I named this one after a Bastille song, for fuck's sake, so I am officially back on my bullshit lmao
> 
> 2020 has been a train wreck of a year, but everyone who has commented and kudosed and messaged and created art (!!!) for this series has really helped me keep writing and creating. So I wanted to share something with you before the year is over, as a sort of thank you <3 
> 
> For those who might be worried about the tags, let me reassure you - there's no description of anything truly terrible or graphic as relates to the apocalypse or the nuclear element. I'm not a big fan of post-apocalyptic tales myself, so I'll largely be handwaving over the details a lot.
> 
> Here's to a 2021 with lots more stories in it C:

Gavin’s boots crunch where they sink into the snow, the noise a sharp contrast to the relative silence around him. The warm hood of his cloak keeps most of the wind out of his ears, so there’s just the low whistle of it always in the background. Looking down, he can watch the way the fur is being buffeted back and forth from the force of the air currents. It’s strange, to think he hasn’t felt the cold in so long he’s forgotten the sting of it. He turns his face up to the ash gray sky and grins. It feels good to be alive after all.

The settlement rises up out of the white snow - crude metal domes and leaning structures, cobbled together from the rubble of civilization. Gavin finds the sight of it a relief after the bleak expanse of the world outside. He’s been gathering supplies all day, and despite not feeling the cold, he’s aching to be back inside again. Something about the fact that the horizon and the skyline blend together makes him...uneasy after a while. He makes for the largest structure, the one in the center of the circle of little houses and makeshift businesses, nodding to the few people stationed outside as he passes. He is allowed to enter here whenever he wishes.

The reason Gavin’s allowed in becomes clear as soon as the door swings open - the whole building is one large reception hall, with a pile of twisted metal piled in the center to form a giant chair or throne. And sitting on that throne, listening politely to the chatter of some visitor or another, is Gavin’s husband. Niles had hated the throne when the villagers built it, had told Gavin flat out that he wasn’t a king and refused to be treated as such. But it made the people feel better, to see the symbol of their survival looking down on them on high. So now he dutifully sits in it for a set amount of hours every day, letting people bring their problems to him, or report on how the settlement is doing. He’s always been kind to those who need it. It’s part of why Gavin loves him so much.

Gavin wastes no time in crossing the makeshift throne room and ascending the steps to where Niles is sitting, clambering smoothly up into his lap. The fur cloak pools and spills across both their laps, blanketing them both in warmth. “Hey babe,” he says, leaning in for a quick kiss, “You bored or what?” There are people watching, particularly the men who had been attempting to bend Niles’ ear to their cause, Gavin knows, but he couldn’t care less. A part of him wants them to see - wants them to remember who Niles belongs to. Not that it’s easy to forget, with the intricate metal adornments they both wear, coiling up around limbs and fingers and tying them together across whatever distance might come between. Call him a sap though, there’s no substitute for making out with your husband on a giant throne to really drive the point home.

Niles indulges him, because he always does, looking down at Gavin with a soft smile. “How can I be bored, when you’re here to entertain me?” he teases lightly, one hand coming up to brush a few stray pieces of Gavin’s hair away from his eyes. He’s relaxed, as always, but Gavin can tell he’s glad for the distraction from work. Well, maybe Gavin’s projecting, but he  _ should _ be glad of the distraction. “I brought back loads of supplies” he brags, even though it is true that he brought back a fairly decent haul from a single run, “Want to come down from on high and help me put this stuff away?” Without thinking, Gavin is reaching up to play with Niles’ hair, fingers tracing through the strands and then up further onto his antlers.

  
  


Niles’ antlers are pitch black, and Gavin’s fingers slide across them to come away slightly stained. He chuckles and wipes the soot across Niles’ nose, making it wrinkle up in what is honestly the cutest little expression. “If you’re not going to behave yourself, I’m going to kick you off” Niles threatens, but there’s no threat to the way he’s smiling at Gavin, the corners of his mouth turned up in a way that others might miss. Gavin can tell he’s relieved, every time that touch lands on the antlers. 

It had been a shock to both of them, when the smoke cleared and they were left standing in the ruins of the forest. Both gasping for breath - Niles as he fell to the earth and clung to it, shaking and trying to process the loss - Gavin as he tried to console him, feeling his life force quivering in his chest as Niles’ own heart broke. Niles’ antlers had never recovered from the scorching of the forest, and had remained as black as the trees that still stood (if you could call the charred stumps trees). Gavin reminded him of how little that mattered to him every chance he got. They were still a part of Niles, and that meant they were still beautiful. And if his lips came away black with soot, well, it was better than gray with ash.

“With all due respect, Sir, there are many people still waiting to speak with the Forest’s Guardian.” A man from beside the throne says, and there’s just a hint of petulance in his voice that makes Gavin want to roll his eyes. They just want to hog Niles to themselves, and they’re mad about him cutting work for one day. Not like he works every other day of the year for these people, keeping them safe and fed in this shithole of a wasteland. Gavin can see the hint of a smile twitching at the side of Niles’ mouth though, and he can’t tell if it’s because he can sense the battle of wills going on here, or if he’s pleased at the nickname. Despite the forest being nothing but empty trees devoid of leaves, Niles still considers himself its guardian, and being called as such pleases him.

They have names for him now too - Gavin hears them being spoken in hushed tones when he passes by. The Prince, they call him, Winter’s Prince, and he can’t help but smirk at that. To be a prince meant Niles was royalty too, and that was a reality he could live with. Some called him the forest’s whore, and those with less imagination simply call him a cheap slut. Those are the ones who look at Niles when they think Gavin can’t see. But he sees. He sees them all. That’s why he’s here, after all, sprawled across Niles’ lap in the middle of the day, putting his hands all over the skin he knows they’ll never get to feel.

The names that are whispered, passed between trembling lips and shaking fingers, those are the ones that Gavin listens for. They name him Justice Bringer, Oathkeeper, Defender of those who have no power. They say he appears even when he is not called upon, when the need is greatest, that he can hear the crying when no one else can, the secret hurt that you keep locked away in your chest for fear that it will overwhelm you. Gavin sees no reason to dispel these rumors. After all, it’s hard to fight the truth. Niles smiles softly when he sees his husband return with bloodied hands and teeth ground together, and wraps him up in strong arms to take away the fury. 

Those same strong arms are holding Gavin now, easily supporting his weight so that he doesn’t slip off of Niles’ lap and do something stupid like tip backwards and crack his head on the concrete. Not that he’d die, but it would hurt like hell, and Gavin doesn’t feel like dealing with that tonight. “C’mon babe, you’re so strong and good at putting things away~” he wheedles, and he can see the hesitation in Niles’ eyes, his fortitude wavering in the face of Gavin’s solid weight on his lap, and his warm hand snaking up his side under his cloak. 

“I will return to hear more reports later” Niles announces, fixing the man next to him with a stare that brooks no argument, “It would appear that my husband is in need of assistance, since he is far too weak to put away his own things.” It’s meant as a jab at Gavin’s pride, a little punishment for misbehaving like this, but Gavin simply smirks as the man next to the throne frowns in annoyance at the obvious muscles definition beneath his shirt. ‘Too weak’ indeed.

Well he’s definitely too weak to walk right now, a fact he announces to Niles by hooking his arms around his neck and shooting him his best and brightest smile. His laughter floats up towards the high ceiling of the chamber as Niles snorts and lifts him easily, carrying Gavin down the steps of the throne. When they’re safely away from the prying eyes of the crowd, Niles leans his head down and presses a gentle kiss to his lips, murmuring “Thank you, darling. You always know when I’m in need of a break.” 

“Of course I do. That’s what husbands are for.” Gavin insists, and the warmth in his chest feels like it’s strong enough to melt all the snow in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! I did very little editing, so you're seeing pretty much raw 2018 Bready here, and I think I'm still quite proud of how it turned out C: 
> 
> Now that I've shared this point in the future, I'll piece the rest of the timeline together for you as we go - how we got here, what happened between then and now, and what happens next! I'm still working hard to write the next part of Chloe's story but it's been tough going, so I really appreciate your patience.
> 
> Any kudos or comments at any time are loved and cherished, and I'm available on [tumblr](https://ohnomybreadsticks.tumblr.com/) if you ever feel like chatting or reading some of my lil drabbles, I’d love to see you there C:


End file.
